Richard Baxter's dying thoughts upon Phil. I, 23 written for his own life and…

Such changes here we are liable to. The same Soul that lately tasted of transporting joy, may lie in terror, hardly resisting temptations to despair: The same Person that was confident of the Love of God, may be quickly not only doubting of it, but sinfully denying it: The same that had assuring evidence of sincerity, may shortly conclude that all was but Hypocrisy. The same that was triumphing in the sense of Love, may cry out, O miserable Man that I am: And the same that magnified the Grace of Christ, may say, The day of Grace is past• Especially if either the Tempter get the ⟨p. 343⟩advantage of a Melancholy Body, or of casting the Soul in to renewed guilt of some wounding sin, or into impatient discontents with the things that befall it in the World.

Such changes here we are liable to. The same Soul that lately tasted of transporting joy, may lie in terrour, hardly resisting temptations to despair: The same Person that was confident of the Love of God, may be quickly not only doubting of it, but sinfully denying it: The same that had assuring evidence of sincerity, may shortly conclude that all was but Hypocrisie. The same that was triumphing in the sense of Love, may cry out, O miserable Man that I am: And the same that magnified the Grace of Christ, may say, The day of Grace is past• Especially if either the Tempter get the ⟨p. 343⟩advantage of a Melancholy Body, or of casting the Soul in to renewed guilt of some wounding sin, or into impatient discontents with the things that befal it in the World.

There is a stability in the Essentials of Holiness: It's Life eternal that is here begun: But, alas, the degrees of Grace, the exercise of it, the evenness and integrity of our obedience, and accordingly our Comforts, are lamentably liable to change. Even as all worldly things are mutable to the ungodly, though their hardened Hearts are too little changeable. Expecting nothing but joy from God, or expecting more than we are meet for, maketh our dejections the greater and more grievous. None are cast lower with terror, trouble, and almost despair, than some that have been most transported with joy: When some other Christians of an even conversation, have an evenness and constancy of Holy Peace, though no such joys.